|
|
|
|
gretriever
Hipster Doofus
|
|
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 19385
Location: A moving target in a firing range.
|
| Back to top
|
|
 Posted: 04/30/06 - 19:56 Post subject: "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA" (race report)
Country Music (Half) Marathon, Nashville TN
LC and I had so much fun when we came here for last year's CMM that when we realized the half for this year would fit into the training for Brookings, we had to go south again. The weather was much nicer than last year, and the road construction that was everywhere last year was pretty much finished. For an area of a half-million plus people, Nashville's not too bad to get around in.
We again stayed at a hotel literally at the starting line for the race. On Sunday morning, about 6:00 or so, I crossed the street to Centennial Park, where the gear check was being done. On my way back to the hotel I was approached by a local (I'm just guessing by the accent) female. She looked at my sweatshirt, which simply had on it "UW-EAU CLAIRE BLUGOLDS". She had no idea what a Blugold was, and didn't figure where Eau Claire was. She looks at me and says in that slow and sort of loud way "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA." 
Mr. Poky ran the full thon and was in the same corral as I was. Looked for him, and for Bill Sev, who was in the group immediately in front of me - no luck with either. Conditions were ideal, cloudy, about 60 - a strong wind kicked up after I had finished, it prolly did affect some of the marathoners.
The race started nicely, with a surprisingly fast first mile. The large number of runners (22,000 total for the two races, which was a record) wasn't a factor until miles two through four, which did have several right angles to maneuver. From miles three through eight, mostly a straight out and back, the times were slow a bit as there was a general uphill pattern. But what goes up must come down, and the second half of the race turned out to be a negative split over the first half. Like a lot of the long training runs of late, I could have pushed myself to go faster, maybe go for a PR, but my watch was set to time the mile-by-mile times, and not give me the running total. I knew the times were good each mile, especially starting with the eighth, but didn't want to distract myself with adding them all up. I even had a kick in the final fraction, getting by all but one of about 15 runners.
While all this was going on, LC and Poky met up; about half an hour or so after finishing, they found me. I think that was all they needed to start throwing back a beer (DISCLAIMER - I IN NO WAY ENCOURAGED THIS BEHAVIOR much  ) or two while we waited for Mr. Poky to finish his race. We did eventually find him too (though he said he saw his lovely wife as he came down the finish, she didn't see him - or so she says  ). We all had a nice time at the Coliseum, as well as at the House of Pokiness - stories and pictures about that and the whole day may well appear elsewhere. Like in your local police blotter. 
Where was I... ? ah, yes, the race results. Once again, 
Time (official): 1:51:44.00 (2nd fastest half ever).
Splits:
8:24.57
9:00.89
9:00.39
8:49.22
8:31.00
8:31.40
8:43.53
8:33.21
8:27.34
8:06.40
8:32.80
8:14.43
8:11.04
- :40.78
Overall - 1,574 of 14,638
Males - 1,134 of 5,429
AG - 54 of 448
Next stop, South Dakota.
Last edited by gretriever on 05/01/06 - 16:42; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
JACKED UP
PRESIDENT
|
|
|
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 21238
Location: www.johnnydu.com
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/30/06 - 21:04 Post subject:
Great race Steve, very nice time.  Sounds like you had fun in Nashville again. I hope we get to hear stories about Little Poky.
|
|
|
|
|
JUJR
Grunt
|
|
|
Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 1970
Location: www.johnnydu.com
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 04/30/06 - 22:55 Post subject:
great job Dawg! Sounds like fun times....Mad City is coming up too! 
|
|
|
|
|
rolling rock
The Pinball
|
|
|
Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16218
Location: unknown zone
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/01/06 - 06:53 Post subject: Re: "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA" (race report)
| gretriever wrote: | | She looks at me and says in that slow and sort of loud way "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA." |
sounds like a great weekend.
congrats on a very well-run half too, nice splits and stats. you're on your way to a great season
|
|
|
|
|
akern
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 31 May 2002
Posts: 17149
Location: CTU
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/01/06 - 10:21 Post subject: Re: "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA" (race report)
| gretriever wrote: |
She looks at me and says in that slow and sort of loud way "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA."
|
Poky says that to me every time I see her.  Nice race Steve! Hopefully one day I'll join yous.
|
|
|
|
|
Kimba90
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 03 Dec 2003
Posts: 3594
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/01/06 - 15:07 Post subject:
Wow, excellent time Dawg!!!! Congrats on a very nice paced race!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
robp
Pyromaniac
|
|
|
Joined: 26 Jul 2002
Posts: 16242
Location: Waiting in line at the beer store...
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/01/06 - 15:20 Post subject:
Good race Dawg.
|
|
|
|
|
gretriever
Hipster Doofus
|
|
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 19385
Location: A moving target in a firing range.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/01/06 - 16:28 Post subject: Re: "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA" (race report)
| akern wrote: | | gretriever wrote: |
She looks at me and says in that slow and sort of loud way "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA."
|
Poky says that to me every time I see her. Nice race Steve! Hopefully one day I'll join yous. |
That was a topic of conversation at the Poky household.
Whether it was before or after the home-made beer was brought forth is not clear.
(thanks - thanks all!)
|
|
|
|
|
Bill_Sev
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Sep 2004
Posts: 727
Location: Marietta, GA
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/01/06 - 20:54 Post subject:
great race dawg.....Wish I would have met up with you. My race was less than stellar. I was on my way to a 1:53 until I popped something in my left calf @ mile 12... finish time 2:21. Kinda glad I back down to the half. Next Stop Chicago Marathon.
|
|
|
|
|
Floridaboiler
POTFH
|
|
|
Joined: 18 May 2002
Posts: 11322
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/02/06 - 08:15 Post subject:
Congratulations on a nice race!
|
|
|
|
|
pokychick
Member
|
|
|
Joined: 02 Oct 2002
Posts: 5640
Location: City of Dis
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/03/06 - 15:15 Post subject: Re: "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA" (race report)
| gretriever wrote: | While all this was going on, LC and Poky met up; about half an hour or so after finishing, they found me. I think that was all they needed to start throwing back a beer (DISCLAIMER - I IN NO WAY ENCOURAGED THIS BEHAVIOR much ) or two while we waited for Mr. Poky to finish his race. We did eventually find him too (though he said he saw his lovely wife as he came down the finish, she didn't see him - or so she says ). We all had a nice time at the Coliseum, as well as at the House of Pokiness - stories and pictures about that and the whole day may well appear elsewhere. Like in your local police blotter.
|
I had a great time with LC and Gretriever. It was a lot of fun being a spectator this year, however, I wasn't very good at it seeing as how I missed both Gretriever and Mr Poky finish. 
There will be no photoshop opportunities coming from me.
Last edited by pokychick on 05/03/06 - 16:02; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
gretriever
Hipster Doofus
|
|
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 19385
Location: A moving target in a firing range.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/03/06 - 15:42 Post subject: Re: "WEL-COME TO A-MER-I-CA" (race report)
| pokychick wrote: |
I had a great time with LC and Gretriever. It a lot of fun being a spectator this year, however, I wasn't very good at it seeing as how I missed both Gretriever and Mr Poky finish.
|
Don't worry about missing us finish. You and LC can hold each other responsible for that. 
And we had just as much a great time with you and the Poky fam. Even with the little stinker showing up as late as she did ("Hey! That water's COLD!" ). Thank you again for making our stay there as nice as it was.
|
|
|
|
|
Pug
The Movie Geek
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 8924
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/05/06 - 22:28 Post subject:
Nice Half G-Dawg. Your second fastest half is still a couple minutes faster than my best (and only, to date).
All of the construction around I-24 and....oh...what road is it? 40? heading into Nashville is all gone? Good to hear.
|
|
|
|
|
gretriever
Hipster Doofus
|
|
|
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 19385
Location: A moving target in a firing range.
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/06/06 - 13:43 Post subject:
| Pug wrote: | Nice Half G-Dawg. Your second fastest half is still a couple minutes faster than my best (and only, to date).
All of the construction around I-24 and....oh...what road is it? 40? heading into Nashville is all gone? Good to hear. |
Our wtg there is I-65. It seemed the construction was the belt-way (wanna say I-440). All but one section was done. Of course we hit it on Friday when we did our sight-seeing. But no probs to downtown, to our hotel (next to Vanderbilt U), or to Pokyland.
|
|
|
|
|
Pug
The Movie Geek
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 8924
|
| Back to top
|
|
Posted: 05/07/06 - 10:34 Post subject:
| gretriever wrote: | | Pug wrote: | Nice Half G-Dawg. Your second fastest half is still a couple minutes faster than my best (and only, to date).
All of the construction around I-24 and....oh...what road is it? 40? heading into Nashville is all gone? Good to hear. |
Our wtg there is I-65. It seemed the construction was the belt-way (wanna say I-440). All but one section was done. Of course we hit it on Friday when we did our sight-seeing. But no probs to downtown, to our hotel (next to Vanderbilt U), or to Pokyland. |
Alrighty. I couldn't remember what road was really heavily constructed in October, but it led right by the Opryland hotel.
|
|
|
|
